Why do people seem to credulously take Trump's "No one could have ever..." statements as anything more than Trump trying to minimize the fact that tons of people were saying whatever they relate to, and he just didn't listen? He's said it over and over again the whole time he's been in the spotlight as a candidate and President.

"Sharks do not go around challenging people to games of chance like dojo breakers."

Why do people seem to credulously take Trump's "No one could have ever..." statements as anything more than Trump trying to minimize the fact that tons of people were saying whatever they relate to, and he just didn't listen? He's said it over and over again the whole time he's been in the spotlight as a candidate and President.

I was thinking about this today, in the context of Trump downplaying COVID-19. My Trumpy mother-in-law was all over Facebook mocking people for "overreacting" before suddenly changing her tune (and then posting lots of memes shaming people for not staying inside enough to protect The Olds). I'm sure her self-protective reaction would be to say that no one could ever have expected it to get as bad as it got, so she was behaving sensibly the entire time. And thus she'll grant Trump the same convenient blind eye, because forgiving him is forgiving herself.

I suspect the same thing is happening every time Trump does his "no one could have known" song and dance. His followers take their cues from him, and so they let him off the hook because otherwise they have to admit they themselves were idiots.

So now my Trumpy mother-in-law is sharing Facebook posts along the lines of, "If the country wasn't prepared for COVID, it's because we spent all those millions of dollars on investigations and impeachment! It's not Trump's fault! He's doing a great job! He would have gotten us ready sooner if you weren't distracting him with all these investigations!"

Orwell’s over-referenced these days, but I can’t think of a better word for a lot of this than “doublethink.”
Trump is...
Totally in charge and not responsible at all.
Astutely taking on China and innocently duped by China.
And, as always, both tough leader and poor victim.

"There are so few people at the Federal Mall it's almost as empty as it was at Trump's inauguration."
--D.A. Ridgely

So now my Trumpy mother-in-law is sharing Facebook posts along the lines of, "If the country wasn't prepared for COVID, it's because we spent all those millions of dollars on investigations and impeachment! It's not Trump's fault! He's doing a great job! He would have gotten us ready sooner if you weren't distracting him with all these investigations!"

Sports bar über alles.

Have you asked this clueless bimbo why Trump himself spent so much time claiming it was a hoax?

"Myself, despite what they say about libertarians, I think we're actually allowed to pursue options beyond futility or sucking the dicks of the powerful." -- Eric the .5b

So now my Trumpy mother-in-law is sharing Facebook posts along the lines of, "If the country wasn't prepared for COVID, it's because we spent all those millions of dollars on investigations and impeachment! It's not Trump's fault! He's doing a great job! He would have gotten us ready sooner if you weren't distracting him with all these investigations!"

Sports bar über alles.

Have you asked this clueless bimbo why Trump himself spent so much time claiming it was a hoax?

What's True
During a Feb. 28, 2020, campaign rally in South Carolina, President Donald Trump likened the Democrats' criticism of his administration's response to the new coronavirus outbreak to their efforts to impeach him, saying "this is their new hoax." During the speech he also seemed to downplay the severity of the outbreak, comparing it to the common flu.

What's False
Despite creating some confusion with his remarks, Trump did not call the coronavirus itself a hoax.

Yes, on the one point of Trump not calling the virus a hoax but calling Democrats' supposed use of the virus against him, his supporters are correct. In the grand scheme of things I think the point is irrelevant, but we should still strive to stick to the facts even if no one else seems to be interested in doing so.

Yes, on the one point of Trump not calling the virus a hoax but calling Democrats' supposed use of the virus against him, his supporters are correct. In the grand scheme of things I think the point is irrelevant, but we should still strive to stick to the facts even if no one else seems to be interested in doing so.

Man what forum do you think you're on?

"Is a Lulztopia the best we can hope for?!?" ~Taktix®
"Somali pirates are beholden to their hostages in a way that the USG is not." ~Dangerman

Yes, on the one point of Trump not calling the virus a hoax but calling Democrats' supposed use of the virus against him, his supporters are correct. In the grand scheme of things I think the point is irrelevant, but we should still strive to stick to the facts even if no one else seems to be interested in doing so.

Man what forum do you think you're on?

We all stick to the facts. It's just that we all have alternative facts.

Yes, on the one point of Trump not calling the virus a hoax but calling Democrats' supposed use of the virus against him, his supporters are correct. In the grand scheme of things I think the point is irrelevant, but we should still strive to stick to the facts even if no one else seems to be interested in doing so.

Man what forum do you think you're on?

We all stick to the facts. It's just that we all have alternative facts.

I guess that true. A fact is one of those things you just make up and then state confidently, even arrogantly, right?

"Is a Lulztopia the best we can hope for?!?" ~Taktix®
"Somali pirates are beholden to their hostages in a way that the USG is not." ~Dangerman

Yes, on the one point of Trump not calling the virus a hoax but calling Democrats' supposed use of the virus against him, his supporters are correct. In the grand scheme of things I think the point is irrelevant, but we should still strive to stick to the facts even if no one else seems to be interested in doing so.

Man what forum do you think you're on?

We all stick to the facts. It's just that we all have alternative facts.

I guess that true. A fact is one of those things you just make up and then state confidently, even arrogantly, right?

One thing that genuinely does mystify me, with no snark: Trump is one of the least masculine, least adult people in public life. Needy, whiny, defensive, pleading, scared of women, terrified of more powerful men.
I am at a loss about why his base sees him as manly or strong.

"There are so few people at the Federal Mall it's almost as empty as it was at Trump's inauguration."
--D.A. Ridgely

One thing that genuinely does mystify me, with no snark: Trump is one of the least masculine, least adult people in public life. Needy, whiny, defensive, pleading, scared of women, terrified of more powerful men.
I am at a loss about why his base sees him as manly or strong.

I don't find it mystifying at all. From what I've seen, the more a guy tries to project 'alpha male tough guy', the more likely he is to be whiny, needy, and defensive.

If Trump supporters wanted a tough guy, why did they elect such a whiny bitch? - Mo

One thing that genuinely does mystify me, with no snark: Trump is one of the least masculine, least adult people in public life. Needy, whiny, defensive, pleading, scared of women, terrified of more powerful men.
I am at a loss about why his base sees him as manly or strong.

I don't find it mystifying at all. From what I've seen, the more a guy tries to project 'alpha male tough guy', the more likely he is to be whiny, needy, and defensive.

Right, but why do so many people not see it?

"There are so few people at the Federal Mall it's almost as empty as it was at Trump's inauguration."
--D.A. Ridgely

One thing that genuinely does mystify me, with no snark: Trump is one of the least masculine, least adult people in public life. Needy, whiny, defensive, pleading, scared of women, terrified of more powerful men.
I am at a loss about why his base sees him as manly or strong.

I don't find it mystifying at all. From what I've seen, the more a guy tries to project 'alpha male tough guy', the more likely he is to be whiny, needy, and defensive.

Right, but why do so many people not see it?

Because seeing it in him would require them to see similar flaws in themselves (or at least require them to realize "I got taken in by THIS?")

"Myself, despite what they say about libertarians, I think we're actually allowed to pursue options beyond futility or sucking the dicks of the powerful." -- Eric the .5b

One thing that genuinely does mystify me, with no snark: Trump is one of the least masculine, least adult people in public life. Needy, whiny, defensive, pleading, scared of women, terrified of more powerful men.
I am at a loss about why his base sees him as manly or strong.

One thing that genuinely does mystify me, with no snark: Trump is one of the least masculine, least adult people in public life. Needy, whiny, defensive, pleading, scared of women, terrified of more powerful men.
I am at a loss about why his base sees him as manly or strong.